Stalwart and True
by MissFiyerabaMeponineSherlock
Summary: What if things happened a bit differently at the barricades?


**Just a random idea that popped into my head and I couldn't resist! Anyways, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Les Miserables or any of the characters.**

"Now the people will fight!"

"And so they might."

"Dogs will bark,"

"Fleas will bite."

"They will do what is right!"

Marius looked over and saw a young 'boy'

"Hey little boy, what's this I see? God Eponine, the things you do!" he said to her, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't tell me this ain't the place for me, plus I would rather be with you!" Eponine replied. She had no intention of leaving the barricade. If Marius was hell bent on dying here, then she would die along side him. That is, if she couldn't save him.

"Get out before the trouble starts, get out 'Ponine you might get shot!" Marius didn't want anything to happen to Eponine. She was his best friend. He wondered why she was even at the barricade. Surely it couldn't be because of him... could it?

"Got you all worried now I have. Definitely something I've long sought." she said to him. Marius raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean 'Ponine? Have you no fear?"

"Oh Monsieur Marius, were it not for you I'd not be here!" Marius gasped when Eponine spoke those words. Did... did Eponine have feelings for him? Or was it simply because they were best friends?.

"I don't understand," Marius said. Eponine sighed. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. She kissed him passionately. Marius blinked, surprised. Eponine did have feelings for him... but, he wondered, did he have feelings for her? Eponine was his best friend. He'd never really thought about her in that way. But now, he had to think about it. Did he have feelings for Eponine? Eponine had always been there when he needed her, she had always been a good friend, and... well, she was rather beautiful. But what about Cosette? He and Cosette... had known eachother for one day. Marius knew. Marius knew what his feelings for Eponine were. He loved her. He knew he did. How had he not realized it before? He kissed her back, holding her close while gunshots fired all around them. Eponine smiled into the kiss. She was finally getting what she had always wanted; Marius.

"Hey! Marius, Eponine, stop necking!" Enjolras shouted to them. Marius and Eponine separated, both blushing a bit. They both grabbed a rifle. Marius looked at Eponine and then at the rifle she was holding.

"Eponine, please get to safety." he begged her. She looked at him.

"As long as you are here, so shall I be." she told him. Marius looked at her. He knew there was no use in trying to get Eponine to leave; once Eponine had made up her mind, there was no way of changing it.

A bullet zoomed past Marius, nearly hitting him. Eponine aimed her rifle at the soldier who had shot the round. She shot him. The bullet hit him and he fell to the ground. Bullets were flying every which way.

All around people were dying.

Joly.

Combeferre.

Lesgles.

And many more. There were many dead soldiers as well.

"How do we stand Feuilly, make your report." Enjolras said.

"We've guns enough but ammuntion's short." Feuilly replied.

"Let me go into the streets. There are bodies all around, ammunition to be had; lots of bullets to be found!" Marius said. Eponine looked at him like he was insane.

"Marius, you can't go! It's too much of a chance!" Eponine exclaimed.

"'Ponine, the same is true for any man here." he replied.

"Let me go, he's young, no more than a boy." Grantaire said drunkenly.

"You need somebody quicker and I volunteer!" Gavroche shouted, climbing the barricade.

"No! Gavroche don't you dare! Someone pull him down at once!" Eponine shouted frantically.

"Look at me, I'm almost there!"

There was gunshot. Gavroche had been hit. Marius had to hold Eponine back so she couldn't run after her younger brother.

"Little people know, when little people fight, we may look easy pickings, but we've got some bite!" He was shot again. Eponine struggled against Marius, trying to go and save her brother. "So never kick a dog because he's just a pup," shot again. "We'll fight like twenty armies and we won't give up." another shot. He threw the ammunition he had collected over the barricade. Enjolras caught it. "So you'd better run for cover when the pup grows..." he was shot a fourth time. That was when Gavroche Thenardier died.

"NOOOOO!" Eponine screamed. She broke free from Marius and climbed over the barricade to get her little brother's body. She brought him back. She was sobbing as she cradled her dead little brother. "'Vroche!" she sobbed. Marius came over to her.

"'Ponine," he said softly. Eponine wouldn't let go of Gavroche. She didn't want anything else to happen to her brother. "'Ponine," Marius said again.

"I can't..." she said, not wanting to let go of her brother.

"'Ponine there's nothing you can do for him now." Marius told her.

"But he...he can't just be dead!" Eponine sobbed. Everyone watching them had tears in their eyes.

"You can't help him now, 'Ponine. He is in God's hands." Eponine let go of her dead brother. Some of the other students came and picked up little Gavroche and carried him away. Eponine forced back more tears. Marius wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"Courfeyrac, you take the watch. They won't attack until it's light. Everybody stay awake, we must be ready for the fight. For the final fight, let no one sleep tonight!" Enjolras said loud enough so everyone could hear. He looked over at Marius and Eponine. "Eponine," he started. She looked over at him "Rest." he told her. Eponine knew there was a slim chance of that happening. As did Marius.

Marius held Eponine in his arms all night. The two said not a word, but just sat there in eachother's embrace. Eponine felt as if there was a hole in her heart. Her brother was dead. Gavroche... her little brother, someone she loved and cared about. Dead. No longer living. Now just a body. Eponine would never hear his laugh again, never run with him from Inspector Javert again.

Everyone seemed depressed. They all, excluding Enjolras, looked like they had no more hope, like they were about to give up. Eponine noticed.

"Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again..." Eponine sang loudly, for them all to hear.

"When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" Marius and Enjolras joined in with her.

"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?" Courfeyrac joined in.

"Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!" Feuilly joined in.

"Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" The rest of the rebels joined in.

With regained hope, they continued to fight when the soldiers came in the morning.

The sound of gunshot had filled the air once more. Eponine noticed a soldier aiming his gun right at Marius.

"No!" She shouted, running in front of him just as the shot was fired. Marius looked at her, wide eyed. Eponine collapsed, blood coming from the bullet wound. Marius caught her. Eponine had been shot right over her heart.

"'Ponine..." he whispered, aghast. It started to pour rain.

"It's nothing, Monsieur Marius. I don't feel the pain anymore. A bit of blood that cries. A few drops of rain..." she whispered. She clutched his shoulders. "It's you! That's all that matters to me. You will protect me. Pressed close against your heart. The rain will make the flowers grow."

"But you will live 'Ponine." he whispered. Eponine closed her eyes, her breathing slowed. "Look at me." Eponine opened her eyes and looked at him. "Love knows how to heal you."

"Shelter me, keep me warm. I feel better in your arms."

"You will live a hundred years, if you let me show you how. If you just listen to me now..."

"The last drops of rain are the springtime returning. You will protect me. Held very tightly, so close... I'll sleep in your arms at last." Eponine whispered weakly. "Bless the rain that brings you back. I feel better... but where is this light coming from?" she asked looking up at the sky. "Barely a breath separating us. It wasn't too late... No, it's nothing, Monsieur Marius..."

"Rest now, dear Eponine." he whispered.

"I don't feel pain anymore." she whispered back.

"You don't feel pain anymore." he echoed.

"A bit of blood that cries..." they both whispered.

"A few drops of rain..." Eponine said as the rain poured down on them.

"It's me..."

"That's all that matters to me. You will protect me..." she shuddered in pain

"I'll wait here,"

"Pressed against you're heart..."

"Until you're sleeping."

"The rain," Eponine said, looking at Marius now.

"The rain..."

"Will make the flowers..."

"Will make the flowers..." Marius echoed softly. Eponine kissed him softly. She fell back. "Grow..." he looked at Eponine. She was dead. She had died to save him. She... she was gone because of him... "Oh God, 'Ponine!" Marius whispered, sobbing.

Eponine Thenardier was dead.

Another shot fired. This one did hit Marius. It went right through his throat.

Marius died immediately, still holding Eponine in his arms. His blood dripped on to her. They had died together, at least.

Eponine's spirit waited for Marius to appear, which he soon did. She held out her hand and he took it.

"Can we really be dead?" Marius asked.

"I suppose so." Eponine replied. She looked down at their bodies. As a spirit, Eponine looked even more beautiful. He face was no longer smudged with dirt, her hair was no longer in tangles. "Come on, Marius. Let us move on now, in peace." Marius smiled at that.

The two of them departed from this world, happily together. And they would never part, for neither wanted any other and neither could die. Not when they were already dead. The two of them could finally be happy together, forever.

**I hope you liked it! Ending was a bit said and a bit Sweeney Todd-esque. Please review!**


End file.
